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the members at did and commandments, in a middle or higher tone; and the latter, after a gradual fall of voice upon the preceding words, sinks into a lower tone upon the word man.

The two circumflexes, No VI. and No VII. fall and raise, and raise and fall the voice upon the same syllable, in which operation the vowel seems to be considerably extended: for which reason, in the rising circumflex, No VI. I have extended the vowel o by doubling it, and giving the first part of the vowel to the falling, and the last to the rising inflexion. In the other example, No VII. you, being a diphthong, admits of a double sound, exactly equivalent to the letter u, which, being analysed, is no more than ye oo, pronounced as closely together as possible (See Critical Pronouncing Dictionary in the Principles, N° 39, 171, and N° 8. in the notes); and therefore, if we might be permitted to violate spelling for the sake of conveying the sound, the first part of the word might be pronounced ye, with the rising inflexion, and the last part like oo, with the falling.

In this exhibition of the several inflexions of the voice to the eye, we have an opportunity of observing the true nature of accent. The accented syllable, it may be observed, is always louder than any other either before or after it; and when we pronounce the word with the falling inflexion, the accented syllable is higher as well as louder than either the preceding or succeeding syllables; as in the word satisfactory, No III. But when we pronounce this word with the rising inflexion, as in N° II. though it is louder and higher than the two first syllables, it is certainly lower than the three last. Did he

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answer satisfactorily? Those who wish to see a more minute investigation of the nature of accent, may consult Elements of Elocution, Part II. page 183.

The different States of the Voice.

AFTER the foregoing analysis of the voice into its several modifications or inflexions, we may take occasion to give a sketch of those states or varieties of which it is susceptible in other respects. Besides the inflexions which have been just enumerated, the only varieties of which the voice is capable, independent of passion, are, high, low; loud, soft; and these, as they succeed each other in a more or less rapid pronunciation, may be either quick or slow. The terms forcible and feeble, which are certainly not without ideas to which they are appropriated, seem to be severally a compound of two of these simple states; that is force, seems to be loudness and quickness, either in a high or a low tone; and feebleness seems to be softness and slowness, either in a high or a low tone. This, however, I wish to submit to the consideration of the philosophical musician. As to the tones of the passions, which are so many and various, these, in the opinion of one of the best judges in the kingdom, are qualities of sound, occasioned by certain vibrations of the organs of speech, independent on high, low, loud, soft, quick, or slow, which last may not improperly be called different quantities of sound.

It may, perhaps, not be unworthy of observation to consider the almost unbounded variety which these principles produce by a different

combination with each other. The different quantities of sound, as these states of the voice may be called, may be combined so as to form new varieties by uniting with any other that is not opposite to it. Thus high may be combined with either loud or soft, quick or slow; that is, a high note may be sounded either in a loud or a soft tone; and a low note may be sounded either in a loud or a soft tone also; and each of these combinations may succeed each other more swiftly or slowly. While forcible seems to imply a degree of loudness and swiftness, and feeble a degree of softness and slowness, either in a high or a low tone. This combination may, perhaps, be more easily conceived by classing these different quantities in contrast with each other.

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When these states of the voice are combined with the five modifications of voice above-mentioned, the varieties become exceedingly numerous, but far from incalculable. Perhaps they may arise (for I leave it to arithmeticians to reckon the exact number) to that number into which the ancients distinguished the notes of music; which, if I remember right, were about two hundred.

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